After failing to agree on a long-term deal, the Jets made sure they kept their starting running back.
Ahead of the deadline on Tuesday, the Jets placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Breece Hall.
The two sides can continue negotiating on a long-term deal until July 15. Many pundits have questioned whether it was the right decision to place the franchise tag on Hall, which would pay him $14.29 million for the 2026 season.
But it was the only decision the Jets could make.
Hall, 24, is one of the few weapons on an offense that has been severely challenged after the Jets finished 29th in yards and points per game last season. It was thought that the Jets would place the transition tag on Hall. But he could have left without the Jets receiving any compensation. The NFL transition tag does not provide draft-pick compensation if the original team declines to match an offer sheet from another team.
Hall is coming off a career-high in rushing yards after finishing with 1,065 yards and four touchdowns. He is also a dual-threat running back and the Jets’ second-best receiver after averaging 47 catches, 411 receiving yards, and 2.25 receiving touchdowns during his four seasons in the league.
Although many wouldn’t place him amongst Christian McCaffrey or Jahmyr Gibbs in terms of the top running backs, Hall is one of the good, young, versatile running backs in the league. With the Jets having so many holes on both sides of the ball, keeping Hall was necessary. Especially with a likely new starting quarterback and a new offensive system in 2026, with Frank Reich now the offensive coordinator.
Hall will take pressure off whoever the Jets’ starting quarterback will be next year.
Some naysayers have also noted that the $14.29 franchise tag price for running backs is high. But had Hall joined the 2026 free-agent running back group with Kenneth Walker III, Travis Etienne Jr., Rico Dowdle, Tyler Allgeier, and Kenneth Gainwell, he would have commanded top dollar, with a similar annual salary.
In the grand scheme of things, the Jets giving Hall an extra $3 million for the franchise tag isn’t bad for business. They gained $11.8 million in salary cap space in the Jermaine Johnson trade for T’Vondre Sweat last week.
The Chiefs were very interested in Hall at the trade deadline last November. But the Jets decided not to deal him even after trading both Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams for a multitude of draft capital.
After not trading him last November, the Jets had to make sure to keep Hall in the Green and White. Why would the Jets risk losing the best or second-best player on their offense after Garrett Wilson for nothing?
Just because the Jets haven’t been great record-wise over the last 15 years doesn’t mean they should just let talent walk out of their building for nothing. That’s not smart business and Jets general manager Darren Mougey knows that.
There has been a lot to criticize the Jets under Aaron Glenn and Mougey. Placing the franchise tag on Hall is not one of them.
WHAT WILL JETS DO AT QB?
The Jets have been linked to a variety of quarterbacks ahead of the negotiating window, which begins on March 9 at noon.
Kyler Murray, who the Cardinals reportedly will release next week, has been linked to the Jets. But there could be another Arizona quarterback the Jets are also interested in.
Jacoby Brissett, who started 12 games following Murray’s foot injury, could also be on the move. Cardinals new coach Mike LaFleur could be targeting either Malik Willis or Jimmy Garoppolo, according to league sources. That would make Brissett expendable and the right fit for the Jets.
Brissett played three seasons for the Colts when Reich was his coach from 2018-20. After passing for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight interceptions for the Cardinals last year, Brissett would stabilize the quarterback position while the Jets still look for a long-term solution in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Panthers backup Andy Dalton, who also played under Reich, could also be a veteran bridge option. Last year, the Jets gave Justin Fields a two-year, $40 million contract only to bench him after nine starts.
The Jets are expected to release Fields eventually, but don’t seem in any rush to do so. If the Jets release Fields with a June 1 designation, they will save $10 million.
“Justin is on the roster,” Mougey said during the NFL Combine last week. “Just like every position, we’re going to evaluate the quarterback position through every landscape, whether that’s trade, on the street, free agency, to see what we can add to the team.
“But Justin is under contract, glad he’s under contract. We have no trigger date with Justin’s contract, so he’s part of the Jets.”
